Arnold Galiffa

Arnold Anthony Galiffa (January 29, 1927 – September 5, 1978) was an American gridiron football quarterback. He played college football for Army, then played professionally in both the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL). He was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1983.

Arnold Galiffa
No. 17, 16
Galiffa in July 1955[lower-alpha 1]
Born:(1927-01-29)January 29, 1927
Donora, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died:September 5, 1978(1978-09-05) (aged 51)
Glenview, Illinois, U.S.
Career information
CFL statusAmerican
Position(s)QB
Height6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight193 lb (88 kg)
CollegeArmy (1946–1949)
High schoolDonora (PA)
NFL draft1950 / Round: 18 / Pick: 225
Drafted byGreen Bay Packers
Career history
As player
1953New York Giants
1954San Francisco 49ers
1955–1956BC Lions
1956Toronto Argonauts
Career highlights and awards
Career stats
Passing (NFL)7–25 (28.0%)
TD–INT (NFL)1–5
Rush TD (NFL)0
Passing (CFL)412–715 (57.6%)
TD–INT (CFL)42–35
Rush TD (CFL)2

Biography

Galiffa was born in and attended high school in Donora, Pennsylvania.[lower-alpha 2] There, he played several sports and earned all-state honors in basketball and football; he graduated in 1945.[2] In January 1946, Galiffa received an appointment to the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York; at the time, he was already a private in the United States Army.[3]

Galiffa's card in the 1954 Bowman Football Card Set

Galiffa played multiple sports for the Army Cadets, as they were then known, earning a total of 11 varsity letters:[4] four in baseball, four in basketball, and three in football.[5] For the four seasons he played football, 1946–1949, Army posted records of 9–0–1, 5–2–2, 8–0–1, and 9–0 for an aggregate record of 31–2–4 (.892) under head coach Earl Blaik. Galiffa was named to the 1949 All-Eastern football team,[6] and was a consensus selection to the 1949 College Football All-America Team.[7]

Galiffa graduated from West Point in June 1950, and was married that month to Margaret "Peggy" Perdok.[8] Galiffa went on to serve as a second lieutenant during the Korean War.[4]

After his military service, Galiffa played four seasons of professional football. He played in the National Football League (NFL) for the 1953 New York Giants, appearing in three games, and the 1954 San Francisco 49ers, appearing in four games.[9] He next played in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for two season. With the BC Lions, he played 14 games in 1955 but was released after one game in 1956, as the team opted to use Tony Teresa as their quarterback.[9][10] Galiffa was then signed by the Toronto Argonauts, who needed a new quarterback due to injury.[11] In 12 games with the 1956 Toronto Argonauts, he passed for 3,682 yards and 32 touchdowns.[9] Galiffa did not play professionally after 1956.

Outside of football, Galiffa worked for U.S. Steel for 23 years in operational staff services.[4] In November 1957, he won a seat on the borough council in his hometown of Donora;[12] as of February 1963, he was president of the council.[13] Galiffa died from cancer in September 1978,[14] and was survived by his wife and three children.[4] Galiffa was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1983,[15] and the Army Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.[5]

Notes
  1. A crop of this photograph was published in The Province newspaper of Vancouver on July 8, 1955. Its caption read, in part, "Across 49th parallel came ex-San Francisco 49-er Arnold Galiffa this morning to join B.C. Lions. The famed quarterback was freshening up at Hotel Georgia when Province cameraman Gordon Sedawie caught him."[1]
  2. Donora High School is now part of the Ringgold School District.

References
  1. "Here's our quarterback". The Province. Vancouver. July 8, 1955. p. 16. Retrieved July 30, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
  2. "Football of basketball, it didn't matter which, they were the best". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. August 22, 2021. p. HS30. Retrieved July 30, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
  3. "Speaking of Sports (column)". Daily Republican. Monongahela, Pennsylvania. January 15, 1946. p. 2. Retrieved July 30, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
  4. "Arnold Galiffa, West Point All-America Quarterback". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. September 6, 1978. p. 28. Retrieved July 29, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
  5. "Anthony Galiffa (2007)". goarmywestpoint.com. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  6. "Ivy League Dominates AP All-Eastern Eleven". The Sunday Times. New Brunswick, New Jersey. November 27, 1949. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Football Award Winners" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). 2016. p. 8. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
  8. "Army's Ace Athlete Weds". The Danville Morning News. Danville, Pennsylvania. June 16, 1950. p. 4. Retrieved July 30, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
  9. "Arnie Galiffa". statscrew.com. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  10. "Lions Cut Galiffa; May Go to Calgary". Vancouver Sun. August 22, 1956. p. 18. Retrieved July 30, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
  11. "Desperate Argos Sign Galiffa". Edmonton Journal. CP. August 31, 1956. p. 38. Retrieved July 30, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
  12. "Delsandro Wins Donora Burgess Race Easily". The Valley Independent. Monessen, Pennsylvania. November 6, 1957. p. 3. Retrieved July 30, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
  13. "Arnold Galiffa To Speak At City Cub Scout Banquet". Daily Republican. Monongahela, Pennsylvania. February 14, 1963. p. 6. Retrieved July 30, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
  14. "Arnold Galiffa Dies of Cancer". Knoxville News Sentinel. Knoxville, Tennessee. UPI. September 6, 1978. p. D-10. Retrieved July 30, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
  15. "Arnold Galiffa (1983)". footballfoundation.org. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
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